December 31, 2016

Istanbul. June, 2007


I dislike New Year's Eve. Always have. I don't like being told when to have fun. The noise at midnight. All of it. Also, I don't want to get anywhere near a car on this night, which I think of as the Super Bowl of alcoholism. In fact, my friends in AA call it "Amateur Night." Still, I wouldn't mind a midnight stroll down the Istiklal Caddesi, Istanbul's main pedestrian street seen here. Be safe. And if your vision looks like this after 12, call an Uber. See you next year.

December 30, 2016

Essex, MA. September, 2016


When our friends Marco and Roberto were visiting from NYC not long ago, Dr. Blake and I tried to come up with some place very "New England" that these two restaurateurs might not find everyday in Manhattan. Woodman's! Our favorite fried seafood shack. We love it. They loved it. And tonight, in spite of the visit with our friends three months ago, Dr. B and I head back there for our annual December 30 tradition: a combo fisherman's platter. Same reliable fried goodness. Plus the peace and quiet of off-season without the summer crowds. (Today is my mother's birthday; she would have been 97, and she would have approved of our choice.) UPDATE: Because of much holiday dining both in and out this year, we may display our "signature flexibility" and postpone our annual Woodman's birthday meal to sometime next month when we really need a mid-winter treat.

December 29, 2016

December 28, 2016

Paris. December, 2005


The Bastille market, where Parisians were busy snapping up oysters and lobsters and more for their New Year's Eve parties. Actually, the best New Year's Eve I've ever spent was here in Paris, 11 years ago. This year, a quiet night at home, an Almodóvar movie, bed well before midnight. Am I getting old?

December 27, 2016

Nessebar, Bulgaria. September, 2014


As the holidays pass and we settle in for a long winter's nap, it's nice to think back on this late summer plein air scene from our trip along the Black Sea.

December 26, 2016

Odessa, Ukraine. September, 2014


Dr. Blake and I became hopelessly lost in this beautiful city when we were searching for the central market. We were saved by this generous and kind woman who offered to lead us back to the Potemkin Steps ("Potemkin Steps" being the only bit of Ukrainian that we could speak.) On the way from the market to the steps, even she got lost and so enlisted the help of some convenient university students who were happy to help. And happy to practice their English with us two gringos. She got us to the steps, and the best we could come up with was "Merci, madame," which luckily crosses many language barriers. So kind all of them.

December 25, 2016

Brooklyn, NY. December, 2013


Merry Christmas. There, I said it. Warm greetings from my friend Nick's dessert table, where you'll find me for the better part of this afternoon.

December 24, 2016

Boston. December, 2015


As I have for almost 50 years, I'm spending Christmas Eve with my friend Nick (whose Mexican nickname is, conveniently, Noche Buena.) I've always loved Christmas Eve much more than Christmas Day. Maybe yet another example of the wisdom behind my friend James's favorite saying: "Sometimes wanting is better than having." Though I don't think James is usually speaking about religious holidays on the many occasions that he says this.

December 23, 2016

Boston. April, 2015


Cinquecento, a Boston eaterie that bills itself as "a Roman trattoria." Hmmm. Loved the lamp. The restaurant not so much.

December 22, 2016

Nessebar, Bulgaria. September, 2014


Tuxedo rentals? Or funeral parlor? I suspect the second.

December 21, 2016

Gloucester, MA. March, 2013


First day of winter. Fasten your seat belts.

December 20, 2016

Watertown, MA. October, 2016


That's "sausage" to you gringos. No translation needed for most at this Armenian church bazaar in my wonderful neighborhood. Soujuk (or sujuk or sucuk, etc.) is a dry, spicy sausage (usually beef but sometimes pork or lamb, plus enhancements like fenugreek, cumin, sumac, garlic, salt and red pepper) that's eaten everywhere from the Balkans to the Middle East. And in New England, too, if you know where to look.

December 19, 2016

Istanbul. September, 2014


A rich mix of ages, outfits, attitudes here outside one of the many mosque complexes in the City of the World's Desire. How we miss this favorite of cities. How we hope it's soon completely safe again to visit. Not that we're scaredy-cats, but even our Turkish friends who live there have advised us to, well, wait.

December 18, 2016

Gloucester, MA. November, 2016


Gloucester's City Hall, built in 1870, holds pride of place in this rough and tumble fishing town. We can see it all the time from our perch above Gloucester Harbor, but the only time we've actually been inside was to file our "Intention to Marry" papers just days after the Supremes ruled correctly on marriage equality on June 26, 2013...and then to pick up our marriage license the following week. Both good occasions.

December 17, 2016

Watertown, MA. November, 2016


I don't know about you, but I find hidden treasures from the past when I go digging in my freezer. Recently, while trying to make room for a frozen Thanksgiving turkey gifted to Dr. Blake by his company, I blushed when I came across this package of cookies intended for my friend Marin (aka Cupcake) at Christmastime LAST YEAR. Good thing zaleti freeze well.

December 16, 2016

Las Palmas, Canary Islands. November, 2013


Palm trees and mar. Plenty of both on this island.

December 15, 2016

Watertown, MA. October, 2016


December 15 is my father's birthday. He would have been 100 today. Imagine. No cake, no problem. Here's a bit of cream kadayif (from a neighborhood Armenian church bazaar) to mark the occasion. He would have liked its exotic texture and sweetness.

December 14, 2016

Cihangir, Istanbul. June, 2007


What a treat to be able to eat outdoors on the patio of this restaurant in the upscale Istanbul neighborhood of Cihangir. I remember the weather being warm and mild, the food being mighty fine. And also the tiny orange kitten who appeared from time to time hoping for a bit of kebab. I was very protective of my meal, but, fortunately for the kitten, others were kinder.

December 13, 2016

Watertown, MA. October, 2016


I love my little neighborhood. Originally settled by Armenian, Italian and Greek families, it's now home to a rich roster of ethnicities while retaining some of its original character. Here, some new neighbors from Argentina. The young woman, Angelina, is a nanny for the two children (their father is in town for a few months to work on a film in nearby Boston.) The young boy speaks Spanish, Italian and some English. I was humbled. But, happily, I did get to practice my Spanish a bit. And my English.

December 11, 2016

Rabat, Morocco. November, 2013


In spite of all the preparation I put into planning travel, I'm always humbled by realizing that it's the beautiful accidental sites that remain in memory. Here, a sidewalk fountain fallen into beautiful disrepair in Morocco's capital, seen en route from downtown to some ancient ruins on the city's outskirts.

December 10, 2016

Gloucester, MA. November, 2016


Pity this poor old pay telephone, or what remains of it after vandals have had their way, gutting and trashing it. Holdouts, Dr. Blake and I only purchased our first cellphones one year ago this month. Good thing we no longer have to rely on trying to find a pay phone.

December 9, 2016

Leaving Lisbon. November, 2013


Everyone on board our late-leaving-port Windstar cruise ship was looking up as we approached the suspension bridge and the tide continued to rise threateningly. Mercifully, we cleared the bridge with inches (not feet) to spare.

December 8, 2016

Las Palmas, Canary Islands. November, 2013


Not very PC some of these product names. But perhaps an obliquely appropriate photo for today, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

December 7, 2016

Watertown, MA. November, 2016


Remember all that fuss last month about the "Supermoon"? Hundreds of photos flooded Instagram, all of them looking pretty much the same. I decided to wait a month before posting this one, taken from my driveway.

December 6, 2016

Las Palmas, Canary Islands. November, 2013


Imagine living in a place where beach days occur all year 'round. Nice to imagine as we head into winter here in New England.

December 5, 2016

Watertown, MA. October, 2016


I live in an Armenian neighborhood, so tabbouleh is no stranger to me. I've tried versions from all of my many local markets. I've made it myself. But none comes close to this tabbouleh, available once a year at the St. James Armenian Church bazaar just steps from my home. Just the right amount of parsley, the right balance of bulgur and lemon juice. Mmmm-mmm. I indulge freely, while at the same time bemoaning the fact that I can't freeze it to enjoy throughout the winter. Instead, this photo will have to do.

December 4, 2016

Off the coast of Morocco. November, 2013


It is our custom and our delight to purchase something at a local market and then bring it back on board our Windstar cruise ship to enjoy at the next meal. This time, a lovely Moroccan bread purchased that morning at the sprawling market in Rabat. The vendor had just arrived, wheeling in a pushcart with a mountain of warm loaves. We bought a large one, and when I handed him the equivalent of 75 cents or so, he gave back a handful of coins as change. So cheap. So good.

December 3, 2016

Cádiz, Spain. November, 2013


So many markets, so little time. And, alas, never having a kitchen at our disposal to prepare the delights each of these European vendors has on offer. Yes, a luxury problem.

December 2, 2016

Kanlika, Istanbul, Turkey. June, 2007


I am one week into my traditional annual "eating plan" (none dare say diet) between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I avoid flour, sugar, refined carbs. Or at least I try to. Otherwise I will eat all of the hundreds of sweets that seem to materialize everywhere in this month of holiday prep. One dish that would be most welcome on my table this month is seen here at Korfez, a now-closed but happily remembered restaurant just a short boat trip up the Bosphorus from Istanbul proper: whole sea bass baked in salt, then filleted and served just so. Who needs cookies and caramel corn?

December 1, 2016

Istanbul. June, 2007


To make up for the loss of autumn's colorful leaves, let's begin December with this market shot from my first visit to the City of the World's Desire. If only travel to Turkey were as easy now as it was then. But even my friends who live in Istanbul warn about visiting their beautiful city under current circumstances. What a shame.